Receptacle unstacking and transporting device

ABSTRACT

An improved device and method is provided for periodically, singly dispensing a plurality of stacked aligned receptacles and advancing the dispensed receptacles to a filling station. Receptacle contact members are provided for contacting the first, bottommost receptacle of the stacked array of receptacles, lowering the bottommost receptacle and the upstanding stack located thereabove until the first, bottommost receptacle approaches contact with a support or transport bed. The stack is permitted to fall when the first, bottommost receptacle is somewhat above the support bed, falling out of reach of the receptacle contact member. The receptacle contact member then contacts the second receptacle from the bottom and raises it and the stacked receptacles thereabove off of the bottommost first receptacle which is then periodically advanced by a transport bed toward the filling station along the receptacle support bed. The support bed includes guides for maintining a received receptacle in contact therewith as said receptacle is advanced therealong toward the filling station.

United States Patent 119 Shields [11] 3,920,152 1451 Nov. 18, 1975RECEPTACLE UNSTACKING AND TRANSPORTING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Walter A.Shields, 181-41 Henley Road, Jamaica, NY. 11432 22 Filed: May 31,1974 21Appl. No.: 475,260

Frish 214/85 K I c A 1::-

Primary Examin erRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel[57] ABSTRACT An improved device and method is provided forperiodically, singly dispensing a plurality of stacked alignedreceptacles and advancing the dispensed receptacles to a fillingstation. Receptacle contact members are provided for contacting thefirst, bottommost receptacle of thestacked array of receptacles,lowering the bottommost receptacle and the upstanding stack locatedthereabove until the first, bottommost receptacle approaches contactwith a support or transport bed. The stack is permitted to fall when thefirst, bottommost receptacle is somewhat above the support bed, fallingout of reach of the receptacle contact member. The receptacle contactmember then contacts the second receptacle from the bottom and raises itand the stacked receptacles thereabove off of the bottommost firstreceptacle which is then periodically advanced by a transport bed towardthe filling station along the receptacle support bed. The support bedincludes guides for maintining a received receptacle in contacttherewith as said receptacle is advanced therealong toward the fillingstation.

7 Claims, 30 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 1. of 153,920,152

U.S. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet 2 of 15 3,920,152

F'IGB.

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 3 of 15 3,920,152

Sheet 4 of 15 US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 US. Patant Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet50f15 3,920,152

U.S. Patfint Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 6 0f15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 7 of 15 FIGJO.

2G 30 28 Km as 70 1e 3e i 1 g E M E E E US. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet 90f15 3,920,152

U.S. Patant Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 10 of 15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheetllof 15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheat 12 of 15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 13 of 15 3,920,152

Sheet 14 of 15 3,920,152

U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 F'IGZB.

PIC-3.27.

Sheet 15 of 15 3,920,152

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 F'IGZQ.

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RECEPTACLE UNSTACKING AND TRANSPORTING DEVICE The present inventionrelates generally to dispensing and delivery machines, and inparticular, to a machine for supplying a plurality of receptacles, oneat a time, from a supply stack to a filling station.

Various machines have been available for use by manufacturers andsuppliers of packaged materials for automatically dispensing and fillingreceptacles with various products. Machines have even been devised tosingly supply a succession of receptacles for receipt of an itemtherein, supplied one at a time. Such a device is shown and described inU.S. Pat. No. 2,613,861 which issued Oct. 14, l952.

The device shown in the 861 patent feeds a plurality of stackedreceptacles to a rod-dispensing mechanism which provides rods one at atime to rod-receiving cavities therein. The receptacles are supplied bya supply mechanism which urges the bottommost receptacle of a stack ofreceptacles out from under the stack with the entire weight of the stackbearing down on the bottommost stack. A succession of receptacles isadvanced toward the rod-dispensing mechanism in succession forcontinuous delivery of rods thereto. No mechanism is providedforrelieving the force of the weight of the stacked array ofreceptaclesfrom the receptacle to be dispensed. Further, no means isprovided for preventing one receptacle from overriding and buckling withrespect to an adjacent receptacle in traveling from the receptaclesupply to the delivery station wherein the receptacles are filled.

Of recent times it has been necessary to automati cally supply aplurality of receptacles for delivery of dc vices thereto wherein thereceptacles are of a fragile nature that will not admit of dispensingfrom a stacked array while bearing the weight of the entire stack on thereceptacle to be dispensed.

For example, it is often necessary to provide a positive indication ofwhen syringes have been removed from a multiple-syringe receptacle. Thisis necessary as the syringes may contain valuable medications therein ornarcotics which require strict control. To ensure that there is nomisuse or theft thereof, receptacles have been devised which aremanufactured of relatively light semi-rigid plastic. The receptaclescontain various compartments which must be made strong enough toseparately contain the syringes within the receptacles and light andfragile enough to permit easy breakage of individual compartments whenit is desired to remove a single syringe therefrom thereby providingeasily visi with respect to one another. Buckling of adjacentreceptacles causes the advancing and supply machinery to become jammedand inoperative.

Consequently, while the prior art receptacle-advancing and supplymechanisms have value with receptacles which are strong enough to.permit advancing despite the weight thereon of a stacked array, andwhich are heavy enough to permit advancing to a filling station withoutdanger of adjacent receptacles buckling with respect to one another,they are of little if any use when it is desired to automaticallydeliver and supply lightweight receptacles in a reliable manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for singlydelivering a plurality of lightweight receptacles and supplying thereofto a filling station in substantially undamaged condition withoutinterrupting continuous operation of the device.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide amechanism for singly dispensing one of a plurality of stackedreceptacles by removing the weight of the stacked array from a deliveredreceptacle and advancing the delivered receptacle longitudinally along adelivery path to a filling station for recepit of a plurality of itemstherein while preventing movement of advancing receptacles relative toone another except in the direction of their advance along the deliverypath without being removed from the delivery path transversely withrespect thereto.

Broadly, the apparatus of the present invention can be used fordispensing a receptacle and delivering the receptacle to a station forreceipt of an item therein. The improvement of the present inventioncomprises generally upstanding channel means for maintaining a pluralityof receptacles in aligned stacked array, a support bed and receptacledispensing means for periodically dispensing the lowermost of saidstacked receptacles onto the support bed. First drive means are providedfor operating the receptacle dispensing means. Receptacle advancingmeans are provided for periodically advancing the dispensed receptacletoward the station along the support bed. Second drive means areprovided for operating the receptacle advancing means. The receptacledispensing means includes means for normally supporting the stackedarray of receptacles by contacting the lowermost of the stacked array ofreceptacles. Means are provided for periodically lowering the stack ofreceptacles toward said support bed until the lowermost of the stackedreceptacles contacts the support bed. The receptacle dispensing meansincludes means constructed and arranged for contacting the next tolowermost of the stacked receptacles when the lowermost receptacle is incontact with the support bed and raising the next to lowermostreceptacle and the stack, the lowermost receptacle .thereby remaining incontact with the support bed. The

station is located in operative relation to the support bed and isspaced from the dispensing means a given distance along said supportbed. The support bed includes means for guiding the advancing receptacleand is constructed and arranged to maintain the advancing receptacle incontact with the support bed.

The method of the present invention includes periodically singlysupplying one of a plurality of stacked receptacles for delivery to afilling station comprising stacking a plurality of receptacles ingenerally upstanding vertically movable array. Supporting the lowermostof the stacked array of receptacles above asupport bed. Periodicallylowering the lowermost and the stacked array of receptacles until thelowermost receptacle contacts the transport bed. Raising the ne'xt tolowermost receptacle and the stacked array of receptacles supportedthereabove off of and out of contact with said lowermost receptacle.Advancing the loyiil== most receptacle along the support bed whilemaintaining the next to lowermost and said stacked array of receptaclesout of contact with said lowermost receptacle. Lowering the previouslynext to lowermost receptacle and the stacked array of receptacleslocated thereabove until the previously next to lowermost receptaclecontacts the transport bed. Raising the receptacle above the previouslynext to lowermost receptacle and the stacked array of receptacleslocated thereabove off of and out of contact with the previously next tolowermost receptacle. Advancing the previously next to lowermostreceptacle into abutting relation with the previously lowermostreceptacle along the support bed toward the filling station includingmaintaining the previously lowermost and the previously next tolowermost receptacles in substantially abutting contact with each otherand with the support bed during the advancing step.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features andadvantages of the present invention will be more fully understood byreference to the following detailed description of the presentlypreferred but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the dispensing and delivery device of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with partsthereof shown in section;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a machine embodying features ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view taken from the left of FIG. 3 showingthe machine of FIG. 3 with parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 4 showingan alternate embodiment of a feature of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the machine of FIG. 3 with partsthereof broken away;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG. 3, with parts thereofbroken away;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG. 3, with parts thereofbroken away, taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 3 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the receptacle-dispensing apparatus of thepresent invention on an enlarged scale and taken substantially along theline 9-9 of FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 10 is a rear elevational section view showing thereceptacle-dispensing apparatus arranged with a stack of receptacleswith the lowermost receptacle resting on a support bed takensubstantially along the line 10-10 of FIG. 3 and looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 11 is a rear elevational section view of the apparatus of FIG. 10with the receptacle-dispensing apparatus shown lifting the stacked arrayof receptacles by contacting the next-to-lowermost receptacle with thelowermost receptacle remaining on the support bed;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view ofa device embodyingobjects and features of the present invention on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of part of the receptacle-advancing andguiding apparatus of the present invention used for advancing areceptacle; and,

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of part of the receptacle-advancing andguiding apparatus of the present invention for advancing a longreceptacle.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary front view of the syringe delivery apparatus ofthe machine of FIG. 3 prior to dispensing of a plurality of syringesinto a receptacle disposed thereunder;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of theapparatus of FIG. 15 with syringes shown delivered to the receptacledisposed thereunder;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theline l717 of FIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 18 is a detailed front view of the apparatus of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of a brake apparatus taken substantiallyalong the line 1919 of FIG. 18 and looking in the direction of thearrows;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 20-20 ofFIG. 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the syringe delivery apparatus of FIG.3;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the syringe delivery apparatus of FIG. 21taken substantially along the line 22-22 of FIG. 21 and looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 23 is a top plan view of a syringe guide for use with the machineof FIG. 3;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view of the syringe guide of FIG. 23 takensubstantially along the line 2424 of FIG. 23 and looking in thedirectionof the arrows;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view of an alternate syringe guide similar to thesyringe guide of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view of the syringe guide of FIG. 23 takensubstantially along the line 2626 of FIG. 23 and looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 27 is a top plan view of a receptacle for use with the presentinvention showing, in phantom, a syringe guide in operative relationtherewith and syringes in place therein;

FIG. 28 is a top plan view of an alternate embodiment of a receptaclefor use with the present invention similar to FIG. 27 with alternatelength syringes in place therein;

FIG. 29 is a top plan view of an alternate receptacle for use with thepresent invention similar to FIG. 27 with syringes shown in phantom inplace therein; and,

FIG. 30 is a top plan view of an alternate receptacle for use with thepresent invention showing alternate syringes in phantom in placetherein.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2,in accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects andfeatures of the present invention, there is shown a receptacle-advancingand supplying mechanism or apparatus, generally designated by thereference numeral 10, which includes four receptacle channels 12 whichare generally L-shaped and are mounted to be generally upstanding withrespect to the apparatus 10.

Two of the channels 12 are located toward the front of the apparatus 10(the right in FIGS. 1 and 2), being mounted by conventional means to begenerally stationary with respect to the apparatus. Two of the channels12 are located toward the rear of the apparatus 10 (the left in FIGS. 1and 2). The two rear channels 12 are movable between a first position asshown in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a second, extended positionshown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 2 for a purpose to be describedhereinafter. The channels 12 are arranged with the inside corner of theL facing diagonally inwardly so that the four channels 12 form theoutline-of the corners of a rectangle.

The two rear channels 12, which are movable as noted above to a secondor extended position, are movable to the extended position whilemaintaining the same basic rectangular orientation of the four channels.Compare the full line representations of the rear channels 12in FIGS. 1and 2 with the phantom line representations therein.

The direction of feed for receptacles is noted by the directional arrowsA in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thelongitudinal spacing along the direction of feedof the front channels 12 with respect to the rear channels 12 is suchthat the longitudinal dimension of a recptacle R, shown in phantom inFIGS. 1 and 2, is relatively confined in lateral movement. However, areceptacle R within the channels 12 is capable of relativelyunconstrained vertical movemennt between the four channels within therectangular area defined thereby.

In a like manner, the alternate position shown in phantom in the drawingfor the rear channel members 12 is designed to retain a stacked array ofreceptacles R within the rectangular space defined by the two front andtwo rear channels 12 and likewise permit virtually unrestrained verticalmovement of the stacked array of large receptacles for a purpose to bedescribed hereinafter.

As may be noted by reference to FIGS. 2, 7, 8, 27 and 29, thereceptacles R (or the receptacles R which are virtually identicalthereto with the exception of being of greater longitudinal extent)include a central storage or container area which occupies most of thearea of the receptacle. The receptacles R include inwardly sloping sidewalls R (see FIG. which terminate at the upper end thereof in a flange Rwhich extends around the entire periphery of the receptacle R. At thelower end of the receptacle R, it terminates in a bottom wall R Thebottom wall R is constructed and arranged so that it rests upon theflange R of the next lower receptacle R for a purpose to be describedhereinafter. The containers R may be made of lightweight plastic ofaluminum or the like in order that parts thereof may be separated fromother parts thereof for use in removal of all or of part of the contentsthereof.

'As may be best seen by reference to FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, the channels12 are attached to support members 14 by any convenient means, such asby welding or the like, at their lower ends which may form part of anextension of the channels 12 or may be separate supportable for use withdifferent sized receptacles.

Mounted on the base 16 on either side of the channels 12 and spacedoutwardly therefrom (to the left and right thereof as viewed in FIGS. 9through 11) are support blocks 20. The support blocks 20 extend abovethe base 16 a distance at least equal to the height of three receptaclesR and extend longitudinally along the direction of advance A, toward thefront of the machine.

- 6 Affixed to the top of each of the support blocks 20 is a receptaclecontact means 22 which includes a contact ing nub for fixing one end ofa compression spring 34' thereto. The other end of the compressionspring 34 is fixed to a mounting nub on the receptacle contact memberfor downwardly biasing the receptacle contact member. When thereceptacle member is free to do so, it moves to a downward positionshown in full lines in FIG. 10 (and in phantom in FIG. 1 1) and strikesan adjustable contact stop 36 which is fixed to the base 16. Theadjustable stop 36 is adjustable by virtue of being threaded and locatedwithin a threaded hole in the base 16.

It should be noted that substantially identical but reversed apparatusexists on laterally opposite sides of the receptacle channels 12 as seenin FIGS. 9, l0 and Actuator or operating rods or members 38 extendthrough openings in the base 16 and a nylon or plastic rounded tip 40 isaffixed to the upper end thereof for contact with the underside of thereceptacle contact member 30 for a purpose to be described more fullyhereinafter.

The lower ends of the actuator rods 38 are removably fixed to anactuator rod activator bar 42 which, as may be seen in FIGS. 10 and 12,is connected to additional apparatus for driving movement thereof in amanner to be described more fully hereinafter.

As may best be seen by reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 12, 13 and 14 areceptacle advancing arm 44 is generally rectangular and is mounted tothe apparatus 10 with the lower surface thereof in proximity to theupper surface of the support bed 18 for use in advancing a receptacle Rwhich has been deposited with the bottom surface R thereof in contactwith the upper surface of the support bed along the support bed in amanner to be described more fully hereinafter.

The advancing arm 44 includes an overhanging lip 46 at its operating endat the right in FIGS. 1, 2, 12, 13, and 14 for engagement with theflange R of a receptacle R when used to advance the receptacle along thesupport bed 18 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter.

The left or attachment of the advancing arm 44 is fixed to an advancingarm support 47 (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 12) which is connected, throughconnecting link 48, to an operating arm 50. The operating arm 50 issuitably journaled at its lower end to the base frame member 52 of thedevice and is pinned at pin 54 to the connecting link 48. (See FIGS. 3,4 and 6). The operating arm 50 is biased toward an upstanding framemember 56 by a spring 58.

The operating arm 50 includes a cam follower 60 which bears against anadvancing arm cam 62 which rotates about an operating shaft 64 poweredby a standard power source which is not shown.

By virtue of the interconnection of the operating arm 50 through theconnecting link 48 and the advancing arm support 47 with the advancingarm 44, the rotation of the cam 62 and the cam follower 60, theadvancing arm 44 periodically reciprocates along the support bed 18 in amanner and for a purpose to be described more fully hereinafter.

Spaced to the right along the direction of advance or feed A, andpositioned above the support bed 18, is a filling station 66 (see FIGS.1 and 2), which supplies items to be contained within the receptacleswhich are advanced along the support bed and supported thereby.

The filling station 66 can be of a type to supply any one of a number ofdifferent items to be housed or contained in the receptacles R. In thepreferred embodiment illustrated, the filling station 66 is shown assupplying syringes S from a grooved drum D which is supplied with thesyringes from a hopper H located thereabove and only fragmentarily shownin FIGS. 2 and 12 but completely shown in FIG. 3 and in enlarged detailin FIGS. 15, 16 and 18.

The grooved drum D is periodically rotated a given amount byinterconnection with a power source not shown, through rachet wheel Wwhich is fixed to a shaft W to which the grooved drum D is fixed.

A brake device B which may be of any standard manufacture is fixed tothe hopper H and ensures that the shaft W to which the grooved drum D isaffixed does not rotate past the intended stopping point under theaction of the impetus supplied thereto by the rachet wheel W by applyinga constant braking force to the shaft W The brake B is shown in FIG. 19.

The syringes S are designed to be released through a syringe guide SGfixed to the front wall 68 of the machine and are deposited into areceptacle R which has been advanced by the advancing mechanism to be described more fully hereinafter until it abuts an adjustable stop 70 andis positioned under the grooved drum D of the filling station 66. Largersyringes are released through a larger syringe guide SG' (see FIGS. 25,29 and 30) into a larger receptacle R The adjustable stop 70 includes aslot 72 therein by which it is affixed to the front wall 68 of themachine and may be adjustably located with respect to the grooved drum Dby use of the bolt and wing nut arrangement 74 which passes through theslot 72 and through an opening in the machine wall.

Adjustment of the stop 70 is necessitated by the fact that the machineof which the device is a part is adjustable for supply and delivery ofeither large or small receptacles R, R respectively. Naturally, if thelarger receptacles R are to be supplied, the stop 70 would be moved tothe right in FIGS. 1 and 2 in order that the receptacle R would becorrectly positioned under the grooved drum D of the filling station 66when it was advanced by the advancing mechanism in order that deliveryof the syringes S could be effected.

As will be discussed more fully hereinafter, the receptacles R or R oncethey are delivered to and supported by the support bed 18, are advancedtherealong by operation of the advancing arm 44 by abutting ajust-released receptacle delivered by the delivery apparatus and pushedfrom under the four channels 12. The advancing arm 44 then retracts ormoves to the left as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 12, another receptacle R isdelivered to the support bed 18 and is, in turn, advanced along thesupport bed. This last-named receptacle R in 8 turn, advances thepreviously delivered and advanced receptacle ahead of it along thesupport bed.

This advancing of delivered receptacles continues until a receptacleabuts the adjustable stop and the filling station 66 operates to delivera predetermined number of syringes S thereto. As noted above, thereceptacles R which are advanced along the support bed 18 and supportedthereby are made of generally light plastic or other material.Consequently, the receptacles R have a natural tendency to ride up onone another which would cause buckling of two adjacent receptaclesthereby interfering with normal operation of and jamming the machine,specifically the apparatus 10.

In order to prevent this overriding and buckling, receptacle guides 76are affixed to, partially override and are spaced above the support bed18 on either side thereof. The guides 76 are sized to extend over partof the side edges of the receptacles R to maintain the bottom surface Rof the receptacles R in contact with the support bed 18 as they arebeing advanced therealong. The guides 76 thereby prevent buckling ofadjacent receptacles R as they are advanced along the support bed 18toward the filling station 66.

The guides 76 are located adjacent the front channels 12 in thedirection of advance A along the support bed 18. If the apparatus 10 isto be set up for advancing a regular length receptacle R, it will benecessary for the advancing arm 44 to extend beyond the front channels12 during the advancing stroke and extend a given distance between theguides 76.

In order to permit entrance of the advancing arm 44 between the guides76, a reduction in the transverse dimension of the top of the advancingarm 44 is necessary. The required transverse reduction is accomplishedby chamfering the top outside corners 78 of the arm 44 (see FIG. 13).

When a longer tray R is to be advanced, the advancing arm 44 is removedand a somewhat shorter arm 80, which includes an overhanging lip 82 atthe operating end to the right thereof, is attached to the advancing armsupport 47. In view of the extra length of the receptacle R theadvancing arm is shorter than the advancing arm 44 and it is notnecessary for the operating end at the right of the advancing arm 80 toextend between the guides 76. Consequently, there is no necessity forchamfering the top outside edges of the operating arm 80.

As the receptacle R is advanced along the support bed 18 by being pushedby an abutting receptacle R located therebehind which is being advancedby an advancing arm 44 or 80, it leaves the bed 18 and the lower surfacethereof is supported on ledges 84, 84', on either side of top (left) andbottom (right) receptacle support members 86, 86 when it abuts theadjustable stop 70 and is located under the grooved drum D.

The top or left receptacle support member 86 is, in turn, supported on ashaft 88 (see FIG. 1) which is journaled at the forward or right end inthe wall 68 and attached at the rear or left end to a pinion gear 90.The pinion 90 is in mesh with a rack 92.

The bottom receptacle support member- 86', as viewed in FIG. 1, includesa receptacle support ledge 84', is attached to a shaft 88 which islikewise journaled in the wall 68 on the forward end and affixed to thepinion 90 at its left or rear end which is in mesh with a rack 92' inmuch the same manner as is the receptacle support member 86.

1. In a device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a stationto receive an item therein; the improvement comprising upstandingchannel members for maintaining receptacles in stacked array; a supportbed spaced below the channel members and extending to the item receivingstation; receptacle contact members hingedly mounted on opposite sidesof the channel members to contact the lowermost receptacle and initiallysupport the receptacles in stacked array; actuator rods reciprocallymounted below the receptacle contact members; springs biasing thereceptacle contact members into contact with the actuator rods; means toreciprocate the actuator rods and actuate the receptacle contact membersto three positions, the first position to engage the lowermostreceptacle and support said lowermost receptacle out of contact with thesupport bed, the second position to lower said lowermost receptacle andstacked array and position the lowermost receptacle on the support bed,and the third position to engage the next to lowermost receptacle andraise the stacked array from the lowermost receptacle on the supportbed; means to advance the lowermost receptacle on the support bed towardthe station; and means for guiding and maintaining said advancingreceptacle on the support bed.
 2. In a device for dispensing anddelivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein asclaimed in claim 1, stop means adjustably mounted below the receptaclecontact members to limit the lowermost position of said receptaclecontact members out of contact with the receptacles in stacked array. 3.A device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a station toreceive an item therein as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means toreciprocate actuator rods comprise an activator bar carrying saidactuator rods, and a first cam operatively connected to andreciprocating said actuator bar.
 4. A device for dispensing anddelivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the means to advance the lowermostreceptacle on the support bed toward the station comprise an advancingarm reciprocally mounted above the support bed, and a second camoperatively connected to and reciprocating said advancing arm toward thelowermost receptacle on the support bed subsequent to the secondposition of the contact members.
 5. A device for dispensing anddelivering a receptacle to a station to receive an item therein asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the forward end of the advancing arm isarranged with a lip to maintain contact with the lowermost receptacle onthe support bed and chamfers in the upper side edges of the forwardportion to permit entrance of the advancing arm below the guiding means.6. A device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a station toreceive an item therein as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means forguiding and maintaining the advancing receptacle on the support bedcomprises guides spaced above opposite side portions of said supportbed.
 7. A device for dispensing and delivering a receptacle to a stationto receive an item therein as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supportbed below the station comprise spaced members rotatably mounted andarranged with ledges to support the receptaCle at the station, and meansto rotate said spaced members and position the ledges out of supportingcontact with said receptacle to discharge the filled receptacle from thesupport bed by gravity.